Eraser cleaner and shaper



Sept. 23, 1958 R. T. WOODWORTH ERASER CLEANER AND SHAPER Filed 061. 26,1956 INVENTOR. M Z Waaanvri BY 7 f y My Patented Sept. 23, 1958 ERASERQLEANER AND SHAPER Ruth T. Woodworth, Stillwater, Minn.

Application October 26, 1956, Serial No, 618,549

2 Claims. (Cl. 51-214) My invention provides a novel device for thecleaning of erasers and the sharpening of the erasing edge portionsthereof, when necessary.

While my device has general application to the cleaning of allrelatively small rubber type erasers, it has particular application tothe cleaning and/or sharpening of the relatively flat disk-like eraserscommonly used by stenographers and the like in the erasing of and makingcorrections to typewritten papers. In such work, the typist frequentlyfinds it essential and desirable, not only to clean oflf certainportions of the eraser prior to making erasures therewith, but also tonarrow the erasing surface so as to engage only a relatively small areaon the paper without overlapping or smudging the adjacent type.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a device of theclass described which is extremely inexpensive to produce, whichishighly efiicient in its operation, and which is durable.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of theclass immediately above described which includes a pair of telescopingupper and lower containerforming sections, said top wall of said uppersection being provided with a central elongated rectangular slot, intowhich the abraded away material from the eraser being cleaned may falland collect, to be eventually emptied. Such an arrangement obviouslymakes for a maximum of cleanliness and neatness.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device of theclass immediately above described wherein all four sides of the topwalls adjacent said slot, taper downwardly in the direction of the slot,whereby to create a maximum of cooperating abrasive surfaces for thesharpening and cleaning of the erasers.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed specification, appended claims and attacheddrawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like partsthroughout several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my novel structure showing use thereofin the cleaning and/ or abrading away of an eraser to a desired shape,

Fig. 2 is a view in top plan of the structure of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation,

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view in section as seen substantially from theline 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring-with greater particularity to the drawings, the numeral 1indicates in its entirety a generally cylindrical container comprising apair of cup-like upper and lower sections 2 and 3 respectively, whichhave a telescopic relationship, as shown in Fig. 4. The top wall 4 ofupper section 2 is formed to provide a central rectangular slot 5 whichextends axially outwardly from the center thereof in oppositedirections, the opposite ends 6 of said slot 5 terminating in spacedrelation to the side edge 7 of the top wall 4.

It will be noted that a generally rectangular sheet of abrasive paper 8is suitably adhered to the upper surface of the top Wall 4. The centralportion of the abrasive sheeting 8 is provided with a slot 5acorresponding to the slot 5 in the top wall 4 of the upper section 2.Also preferably, and as shown, the abrasive sheeting 8 extends laterallyoutwardly in all directions from the slot 5.

An important feature of my invention, is that the top wall 4, on allfour sides of the slot 5, tapers downwardly in the direction of the slot5. Thus, the tapered portions on opposite longitudinal edges of the slot5 are indicated by the numeral 9, whereas the tapered portions on theopposite ends 6 thereof, are identified by the numeral 10. As shown, theabrasive sheeting 8 covers not only the downwardly tapering portions 9and 10, but also a considerable portion of the top wall 4 laterallyoutwardly thereof.

When it is desired to clean or sharpen an eraser X with my novelstructure, above described, the operator may move said eraser back andforth along either the downwardly tapering abrasive surfaces 9 and 10,or along the flat abrasive surfaces immediately adajcent thereto, as aparticular situation seems to require. The abraded away material fromthe eraser X tends to enter the interior of the casing 1 through theslot 5. However, to assure that all of the abraded away material fromthe eraser X enters the container 1 through the slot 5 (irrespective ofwhether said material overlies the tapered or flat portions of the top4), said container may be tilted in a direction to cause said materialto enter the slot 5 under gravity and the peripheral edge 11 of thebottom section 3 of the container 1 tapped upon any relatively solidobject. Obviously the content of the container 1 may be dumped whendesired by separating the telescoping sections 2 and 3.

The angular tapering surfaces 9 and 10, which converge along the lines12, are extremely useful in achieving V- shaped edges on the peripheryof the eraser X.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be satisfactory inthe accomplishment of the objects above set forth; and while I haveshown a preferred embodiment thereof, same is capable of modificationwithout departure from the scope and spirit of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a container comprising upper =andlower telescoping cup-like sections, the intermediate portion of the topwall of said upper section being formed to provide an elongatedrectangular slot the opposite ends of which terminate in spaced relationto the side edges thereof, said top wall on all four sides of said slotbeing formed to provide surface portions which taper downwardly in thedirection of said slot, and an abrasive covering on said top wallencompassing said opening including said tapered surfaces.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said covering comprises asheet of abrasive material adhered to said top wall, said sheet andabrasive surface thereon extending laterally outwardly of said taperedsurfaces in all directions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS575,947 Hart Ian. 26, 1897 901,622 Kann Oct. 20, 1908 1,063,443 HaysJune 3, 1913

